Shadows of the Soul
by uncannyk
Summary: Told from the point of view from my OC, a mutant girl is drawn into the world of The Avengers and Asgard. Her powers are unique, and soon she gains the interest of the God Loki. Story is set after the events of Thor: The Dark World, and it follows most of the main plot line of the current Thor/Avengers movies. Does not follow the comics. Enjoy! Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

My eyes flew open and I sat up straight, listening, and breathing hard. I felt the tingle of my energy run through my blood. I was on edge, ready to attack, even though I didn't know why. I knew I had been dreaming, but of course I couldn't remember. I pulled at my memory, trying to recall what it had been about. The more I tried, the more I felt my power surging within. I needed to gain control. I pushed the covers away from my body, surprised at how chilled I felt, and turned on the light. It was 2 AM. A sudden knock at the door made me jump, and I went to the door to see who it was at this hour.

"Logan," I said as I opened the door and saw his face.

"Sorry to wake you," he said. "But the professor needs to see you."

He seemed worried and that made me worry too. Logan never let anything get to him. Even in the darkest of times, he had remained the same kind, quiet, somewhat grumpy, Wolverine that I had always known. But now, as he waited for me to follow him, he eyes told me that his heart was troubled.

"What is going on?" I asked. "And don't say 'nothing'. I can see it in your eyes, and I can feel it. I just woke up out of dead sleep right before you got here. Something big is happening."

"You're right," Logan said softly. "But I'm not the one to tell you about it. Xavier is."

"One minute," I sighed.

I grabbed a sweater and slipped on a pair of shoes, then went with Logan. We walked in silence, something else that almost never happened. Logan and I had been close since I first arrived at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. I had arrived much later than most did, not realizing my mutant abilities until I was older. Most discover their gifts when they reach puberty. Now that I knew the truth, I could see how I had always been different from others. I had always felt like there was something that set me apart from most girls. I had a part of me that had always felt unstable, a part of me that knew I had darkness waiting to be unleashed. My energy had always been inside of me, causing me to have emotions more powerful than most humans. It caused me to have notions and dreams that were otherworldly. I had never fit in, not because I didn't try, but because I was a mutant. It all seemed lifetimes away now, even though it had happened only a few short years ago. Xavier had come to bring me to the school, after keeping an eye on me for many years prior, waiting for the right moment. Wolverine had been the one to go with him to get me. We had bonded over our love of classic rock and he had taken on a sort of father figure to me, which was something I had gone most of my life without. Xavier's school had given me many things I had never had before and was the only place I, as well as many others, felt safe.

We arrived at Xavier's office and I opened the door, without knocking, which I immediately regretted when I saw that the professor had company. A tall man sat next to him, dark skinned, and a patch over one of his eyes. He wore all black and studied me as I entered the room, Wolverine close behind. I immediately began trying to read him, to see why he was here and why he was looking at me with such interest.

"Hello, Gabrielle." Xavier said, completely un-phased by my entrance. _Relax_, his voice echoed in my mind.

"Sorry," I said looking at my feet, feeling very childish. "Logan didn't mention you had company."

"You didn't ask," Logan grumbled. I turned my gaze to him and gave him my best glare.

"Allow me to introduce Agent Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. I am sorry for the hour. He came to me with very pressing matters. Ones that I think he would be best at explaining. Thank you, Logan, for getting Gabrielle." Xavier gave him a pointed look, one that said "leave". Logan did, after pausing for a moment, seemingly on the verge of saying something. Once the door closed behind him, I took a seat in the one I assumed was for me since it was placed in front of them both.

"Have you heard of S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Nick Fury asked.

"It sounds familiar. I think I may heard it mentioned on the news."

"In light of recent events, I would not doubt that. We try not to make our presence public, but it has been getting harder and harder to do that. We are a group that monitors threats to Earth." He explained.

"What kind of threats?" I asked suspiciously, knowing that mutants were not exactly high on the governments "trust" list.

"All kinds," Fury said honestly. "Anyone or anything we deem to be a hostile force. In order to deal with these threats, we began a projected called The Avengers Initiative. Have you heard of the Avengers?"

"Of course," I replied. "The alien attack happened in this state. That was definitely all over the news."

Fury chuckled. "Well, there are many things I am sure the news hasn't told you. But I'm glad you have some idea of what I'm talking about. I am going to cut right to the main point: I'd like you to be part of the Avenger's team. We have discovered new information that has led us to believe the safety of Earth is threatened again. We need someone with your abilities. Our team is very diverse, but I would like to expand it even further after our success in New York. S.H.E.I.L.D. has kept an eye on this… school for quite some time. I know that if I am to find someone who can help us, it will be here."

I looked at him in the eyes, trying to read his motives. I knew that Xavier would have already done the same thing, but I still had to see for myself. I was completely shocked. This was not at all what I had expected. I didn't even fully understand who S.H.E.I.L.D. was or who the Avengers were. All I knew was that they had saved the planet, from an attack I didn't fully understand either, and that now they were all off on their separate paths. Tony Stark, A.K.A. Ironman, lived in New York. So did another one of them – the Hulk, I think he was called. The others I wasn't so sure about. That was all I really knew. I'd had no idea that they were an actual team and that there were even more people trying to destroy Earth. I was mutant. I knew more about the secrets of the world than most, but this was completely out of my league.

"I discussed this with Logan. When Agent Fury came to me, he explained the type abilities he was looking for. I thought of you and only you, Gabrielle. Logan, although he has his worries, agrees with me. You are part of the X-Men and you have fought in combat before. You are my strongest. I have always known you were meant for more, and I believe this is what is meant for you." Xavier said to me, his voice as calm and reassuring as it always was. "The choice is yours of course. But I hope you choose to take Agent Fury's offer. You would be saving millions of people's lives and you would show the world that mutants are not dangerous."

I could feel something in my bones as Professor X said this to me. I felt his mind reaching out to mine, reassuring me, and comforting me. He told me things that only I would understand: he showed me images of when I had first come to the school, when I had learned what my mutant abilities truly were. I relived the feelings of finally feeling whole and complete. I remembered how much I had grown these last few years. My powers grew with me, year after year, expanding and developing into something I never thought possible. I had become an X-Men, finding other mutants in need, helping them, and training them. I had become aware of how mutants were feared. Most did not accept us, which is why Xavier created the school in the first place. Being an Avenger, fighting to save the world... yes, there is no doubt that it would help the mutant community gain acceptance in society.

"Okay," I said looking right at Xavier as I said it. "I'll do it."

"Well then," Agent Fury said, sounding a bit relieved, "that was easier than I thought. Here." He held out a folder to me that appeared to be full of paperwork. "This is everything you need to know. I will be back later tomorrow evening with the jet to pick you up. Get some rest." He stood up, extending a hand to shake Xavier's, and then turning to me. "Thank you for agreeing to join. I had feared, showing up here unannounced, that I would not find what I was looking for. I am glad that I was wrong. I believe you will be able to help us. It was a pleasure to meet you, Gabrielle."

"It was nice to meet you too." I said, angry that my voice was not as steady as I wanted it to be. The weight of the situation was beginning to fully hit me.

At the door, Fury stopped and turned back around. "The team will be with me tomorrow. We will leave for the base of operations straight from here. I was hoping to see your abilities before we go. I understand that you have a room designed for practicing battle techniques. And I also hear you put on quite a show in it."

I couldn't help but smile at that. "Since you put it that way, I'd be happy to show you."

He left without another word. I sat silently, images flashing through my head of what I had seen of the Avengers on the news. They were heroes in most of society's eyes. They were loved and admired. Of course, there were those who thought they were dangerous, but that was to be expected. Now, I would be one of them. The folder felt heavy in my hands, like it was stone, even though it was just paper. I stared at it, unblinking, trying to sort out how I felt about what I had just agreed to. A part of me was excited, full of adrenaline, ready to embark on this new adventure... The other part of me was afraid, overwhelmed, and nervous. The two opposites seemed to crash inside of me, not letting me tip over into either side. I suppose that was for the best. It was too late to turn back.

"Your eyes are very dark," Xavier says breaking me out of my thoughts. "I sense that you were awake before I sent Logan to get you. What happened?"

"A dream," I reply, "One that I can't remember. But I woke up feeling like I was on edge. It happened only minutes before Logan arrived."

"Maybe you sensed that Agent Fury was here, and that we were talking about you."

"No," I said, feeling more and more confident that my weird dream hadn't come from this. "What happened here, it wouldn't have left a feeling like the one I felt. In my room, I felt… torn. I felt lost, but also felt like I was being pulled into something… someone." As I spoke, more emotions came back to me. A memory of waking up because I had felt like I was falling… only not falling off of something tall… no, it was more like that falling you get in your stomach when something is happening that you can't control: when you are losing control. "I wasn't dreaming about this. As major and life changing as this is, the dream was something different… something deeper."

"Sometimes dreams are just dreams," Xavier said, although I heared the doubt in his voice.

"Not ones like this."

I stand up, brushing my hair off of my face and suddenly feeling very tired. "I should go back to bed. Saying that I have a long day tomorrow would be an understatement."

Xavier smiles at me. "Yes it would. Go, rest, and don't think any more about this dream. If it is meant to be remembered then it will be. You have greater worries now. But know that I am proud of you. This was a choice that most would have turned down out of fear. You are a very tough young woman, and you will do great things. Not because you have strong powers, but because you have a strong spirit."

"Thank you," I said softly. "It means a lot that you have faith in me."

Xavier nodded, still smiling, and I turned around, beginning the walk back to my room, which felt longer than ever before. When I finally got there, I knew there would be no sleep. Instead, I opened the folder on my bed, and began to read.


	2. Chapter 2

Three months had passed since that fateful night that brought me to join the Avengers. At first, the change had been an unwelcome one. The team was much different than the X-Men: while we had been a close knit family, pushing eachother and believing in eachother, the Avengers were quite dysfunctional... and when I say "quite" I actually mean _really, really_ dysfunctional.

Plus, they were all older than me, maybe not by a lot, but by enough to make me feel very young in comparison. Tony Stark, the famous Iron Man, was all but married to the beautiful Pepper Potts. She actually wasn't all that bad. I enjoyed her quick wit and the way she didn't let Tony push her around. Brunce Banner and I hadn't had much alone time together. He was very shy and awkward, and spent most of his time holed up in his lab.

Steve Rogers was probably the nicest of the bunch. He made me feel the most welcome right off the bat, offering to show me around the tower and asking me all sorts of questions about myself. I barely saw the infamous Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton - supposedly they were off on a mission for the newly reconstructed S.H.I.E.L.D. As to why it was "newly" reconstructed was still a bit fuzzy to me - they had shoved so much information down my throat those first few weeks that I almost died.

Out of them all though, Thor was my favorite. He was strange, and I liked that. Even though he had supposedly been living on Earth for a while now, he still didn't quite have a grasp on being a "normal" human - and I could relate to that. His wife was very nice as well, even though for most of my first few months with the Avengers, she was away on a business.

I think it was because of this strange bond I felt with Thor, not romantic, mind you, but more like he was an older brother, that when the topic of me going to Asgard came up, I didn't completely freak out.

You see, we still weren't completely sure what the new threat on Earth was. Bruce muttered things about spikes in energy from space, Nick Fury said things about weird messages coming through from space, and Tony Stark said things about the readers on top of the tower picking up weird readings from space - basically, a lot of shit was happening up in space, but no one really knew what was going on. I wasn't totally illiterate when it came to science-talk. I knew a lot from my time on the X-Men, but this was all going right over my head. I was overwhelmed and homesick.

I think Thor picked up on my mood and that was why he invited me to Asgard. He was going home to speak with his father and see if he knew anything, or to see if he was at least willing to try and help figure out what was going on. It was a once in a life time chance, to go to another world, one that most people didn't even know existed. But for some reason, as the days before out trip passed, a feeling took me over. It was something I had felt before... I couldn't pin down when... Or where... Or how I knew I had felt it... I just knew that it wasn't good.


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you ready?" Thor asked as he looked down at me out of the corner of his eye, a smile on his face.

"I think so," I replied, shifting my bag on my shoulders, wondering if I packed everything I would need for the trip. I could barely contain my excitement. Even though the reasons for going to Asgard weren't exactly good, I never thought I would be journeying to another world. And Thor seemed to be in good spirits about going home, so I figured I wasn't in the wrong for being happy too. I tried with all my might to push any doubts that tried to creep back in my mind as I focused on being happy.

Thor hooked his arm firmly around my hips. "Hold onto me and take a deep breath."

I did as he said, a little flash of fear going through me as I tightened my grip.

"Heimdall!" Thor called up to the sky. "Open the Bifrost!"

A tornado-like burst of energy descended from the sky almost immediately. It circled around him and I, full of brilliant colors, pulling us off the ground slowly at first, and then shooting us into the sky. I was frozen against Thor, both with fear and wonder as I tried to take in what was happening. I saw stars, comets - wait was that a UFO? - and planets fly past me so quickly that I barely even had a chance to truly see everything. It felt like I was completely still and like I was on a roller coaster at the same time. And before I had even blinked more than a few times, Thor and I were standing on solid ground inside of a gold room that was spinning. I sank into Thor's side, closing my eyes tightly, dizzy and confused, but happy to be on solid ground... and to be alive.

"Is she alright?" I heard a voice that was not Thor's ask. The room was now quiet. There weren't any more sounds of wind rushing and electricity crackling. I opened my eyes slowly, catching up on my breathing. There was another man in the room standing before us. He was wearing golden armor, his eyes the same color gold, and his skin dark.

"I'm fine," I said straightening up. "That was amazing."

Thor chuckled and finally let go of me. "Heimdall, it is wonderful to see you. This is Gabrielle."

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Handel said in his deep voice. He turned his gaze to Thor. "I saw your plans to come to Asgard and so I had horses brought down for your trip to the city."

"Thank you, my friend." Thor replied. "This way," he said to me, walking towards the entrance that I had just noticed. I gave Heimdall a small wave and then followed Thor out of the golden room. Two horses were waiting for us on the outside, but I only noticed them for a moment. Before me was a city that was something out of a fairy tale. Waves crashed around below the bridge that we stood on. The bridge itself glowed with all the colors of the rainbow, and it seemed to be alive. The colors moved through the bridge like blood in a vein. Beyond the bridge was the city. I could see buildings that stood higher than any on Earth.

"Welcome to Asgard," Thor said proudly, seeing how in awe I was and giving me another moment to admire everything around me.

"I can't believe I'm seeing this," I said breathless with astonishment.

"There is much more to see," Thor said handing me the reins of a large black horse. "Do you know how to ride?"

"Yes," I said with a smile, patting the creature's large cheek. I climbed into the saddle with ease, situating myself and my bag before following Thor on his large white mount.

We trotted through the city and I felt like my head was going to roll off of my shoulders with how much I was looking around. Every step the horse took I saw something new to look at. I had nothing to compare the city to because I had never seen anything like it in my life. Somehow Asgard looked like something ripped out of both a medieval fairy tale and a science fiction novel. One second you would see something old fashioned and the next you would see something that could never be found on Earth. I was in awe.

I didn't pay attention to the route that we took, but soon we stopped at what felt like the middle of the city. We were infront of a set of large golden doors that had guards keeping watch outside of them. Thor and I dismounted, and immediately the gaurds came and took the horses from us. I patted the creature's thick shoulder, suddenly feeling very nervous. Thor's father was a king. _A king! _I was so far out of league. I looked down at my jeans and hoodie, scolding myself for my poor fashion choice. We entered the doors, which opened automatically for Thor, and I found myself standing before a long, richly carpeted walkway leading up to a throne. Ontop of the throne sat who I assumed to be Thor's father.

Thor didn't waste any time. He traveled the distance to the other end of the room in long strides before kneeling before his father and giving him a harty "hello!"

I struggled to keep up, bowing awkwardly behind Thor and then standing there like an idiot as Odin took in the sight of us both standing before him.

"Hello, my son." He said calmly getting up out of his seat and coming down to touch Thor's shoulder. "I thought the news of your visit to be a lie until the guards informed me of your arrival... And who is your guest? Is this your _human_ wife?"

The way he said human cut through my skin like a knife. Sounded like Daddy Dearest wasn't so fond of Thor being on Earth, even after all this time.

"No, Father." Thor said giving me an apologetic glance. "This is my friend, Gabrielle. I thought she might enjoy the sights of Asgard, so I invited her on this visit."

"You invite her, but not your wife?" Odin pressed, and I felt the blood drain from my face.

Thor seemed unphased however. "Jane is away on business, and this trip was not out of pleasure, Father. It is to discuss matters that relate to Earth and it's safety."

"Ah." Odin said, raising a hand stroking his white beard slowly. "I see."

Odin then looked at me blankly. Silence fell over the room and I couldn't help but feel like coming here had been a mistake. I wasn't sure what I had expected from Thor's father – but I had certainly expected a warmer welcome than this.

"You must be tired from your journey, "Odin finally said, his eyes still on me. "The guards will show you to your quarters. You may rest there while Thor and I discuss these most urgent matters."

There was no hiding the coldness in his voice. He obviously did not want me around for whatever was about to happen next. I looked to Thor and he gave me the most reassuring nod that he could muster.

I followed the guards out of the throne room looking back only to see the doors closing. I sighed and continued on silently. We didn't travel too far to my room, but it was far enough that I wouldn't remember my way back. That made me uneasy. They left me without a word. I tossed my bag on the floor and sat down on the bed. A fire was burning in the room and I found the warmth comforting. It was a gorgeous room, full of things I had never seen before and things that were familiar. But I didn't have the mindset to truly appreciate it all. This was not going as I had planned - as I had hoped, for Earth's sake.

It was beginning to get dark outside and I couldn't help but yawn. I laid back on the bed, pulling one of think blankets over me. I knew I wouldn't be able to rest peacefully. And I didn't. Hours later I still laid there wide awake. No matter how hard I had tried, I could not sleep. Perhaps it was silly, but all I could think about was exploring Asgard. It was a place that I thought had only existed in my dreams. Yet here I was, laying in a bed with silk sheets and fur blankets, a fire burning, and a window with a view of a night sky that had never known city lights or pollution. All I could do was lie on my side and admire the stars, the view of the planets, and the numerous colors of the galaxy. I had never known that the night sky could be anything other than black. Yet out here, so far away from Earth, the sky was filled with color: purple, blue, pink, red, orange, and yellow were all mixed in among the darkness.

As hard as I tried, I couldn't contain myself. I knew I was here because of terrible reasons, and I knew that the first meeting with Odin had been a disaster; but a part of me was happy. I felt safe here, and not just because I was worlds away from Earth and all of it's hatred. Asgard was magical. It was a place that I had always hoped was real, and now it was like all my childhood fantasies were coming true. I wanted to spend every moment taking in its beauty before it was gone. So instead of resting like I should have, I got up and searched for warmer clothes. I shifted through the clothes that I had brought, trying to figure out what would be most acceptable. Not to mention the weather here was quite different from Earth, shifting from warm summer days to cold winter nights within hours. My jeans, boots, and jacket wouldn't exactly be the most logical to wear every day, but they would have to suffice. I changed, savoring the warmth of the room before stepping out into the cold hallway.

I was happy to find that the halls were all lit up by lanterns and torches as I made my was through the castle, making sure to keep on the straightest path that I could so I could attempt to make my way back. Soon that desire faded, and I wandered father and farther away, mesmerized by the paintings and statues that lined the walls. I didn't dare go into any room with a closed door. Instead, I tried to find a way out of the castle and onto the grounds. I had briefly passed by the gardens and fountains during the day. That was what I wanted to explore the most.

I finally saw an opening ahead, and soon I found myself on a balcony overlooking a gorgeous pond. The water was so pure and clean, that even so high above it I could see the fish swimming inside. I leaned on the railing, and looked up, taking in the view. The sky seemed to be pulling me in. It moved and swayed, much to my surprise. It wasn't still like on Earth. Shooting stars flashed across the horizon, and occasionally a comet would as well. I was so caught up in my surroundings that I did not sense the other person until they were standing behind me. I whirled around to see a man looking at me cautiously. He had dark hair and piercing light blue eyes. He was tall, which wasn't much of a surprise since all Asgardians were, but he was much leaner than the others. I was used to those like Thor, who were all muscle, and while it was clear this man was strong too, it wasn't as obvious.

"Hello," he said simply.

"Hi." I said, feeling strangely like he had caught me in the middle of doing something I wasn't supposed to be doing.

"I do not believe we've had the pleasure of meeting before. I am Loki," he said smoothly. I immediately felt my body go tense. Loki, as in Thor's brother who had all but completely destroyed New York. I studied him, knowing that he was waiting for me to reply, but I hadn't quite found my words yet. He was different than I had imagined. I had only heard the others talk about him, and seen the few bits of footage on the news that existed of the attack. I knew Loki had recently redeemed himself in Thor's eyes, but everyone else had not been convinced. I wasn't sure what to think of him.

"And you are?" He prompted, now sounding annoyed.

I snapped out of my thoughts. "I'm Gabrielle I was brought here by your brother."

Loki laughed darkly. "Oh, don't tell me that my brother has already tired of his precious mortal and found a new one?"

"What?" I said offended, crossing my arms over my chest and glaring at him. "No. I am part of The Avengers. I only met Thor a few months ago when they recruited me. He is still with Jane."

"It was just a question," he said with a smirk on his lips and not sounding sorry at all. Loki walked up next to me, leaning on the balcony and peering out over the pond before bringing his eyes back to me. "My apologies," he added obviously amused.

I felt myself becoming a little less tense, again surprised that this was the murderous monster I had heard so much about from the others. He didn't appear to be frightening. With his soft voice and his sharp features he was actually quite the opposite. He was more handsome than anything.

Thor had never spoken badly about Loki, though he had only talked briefly of his brother to me. He had told me that all though Loki was full of tricks, he was beginning to trust him again. I didn't really understand everything that had happened between the two, but I knew it had been very important; enough to make Thor forgive what Loki had done on Earth. I had never said it to the others, but I had always thought they were too harsh about Loki, especially when he was the brother of Thor. More importantly, I knew how it easy it was to walk the line between good and evil, right and wrong. I knew that there was always more to a person than what appeared to the eye. It was obvious Thor understood that as well.

As if he had read my mind, Loki's next words took me by surprise. "I suppose your friends have warned you to stay away from me while you are here." It wasn't a question, but more of statement. There was a bit of venom in his voice.

"Yes, they did." I said honestly. "Thor didn't tell me to though. He just thought you wouldn't… be around much."

"That was my intention. I am not exactly fond of the others. They did try to kill me."

I couldn't help but laugh slightly at that. "Well in all fairness, you did try to kill them first."

"Depends on who is telling the story," he said.

"I guess I've only heard one side's story then."

"Perhaps you will hear the other side sometime."

"Perhaps," I said, not being able to keep a small smile from forming on my lips. He returned it, ever so slightly, and for some reason that made me happier than I expected. "But anyways, luckily for you, I'm the only one who came with Thor to Asgard. The others will be coming though, if your father agrees…"

"Ha," he said darkly. "My father isn't too fond of visitors."

"Is there anything you Asgardians_ are_ fond of?" I asked laughing.

"No," he said, sounding serious although I knew better than to fall for his act of indifference.

There was more to the story, and not just because he had said it, but because I could feel his energy pulsing, fighting to maintain a constant mood. I wanted to feel more of him, try to peek inside the deep corners of his emotions, but he was incredibly hard to read. I didn't want to reach out too far with my energy, knowing that Loki possessed skills of his own from what Thor had told me. I didn't know how my powers would react with his and it certainly wasn't something I planned on testing after only knowing him a few minutes. From what I could pick up on though, his powers were ever-changing like my own. They were electric, sending out sparks that hit me and made me feel tiny surges of his energy. It was nothing I had ever come in contact with before, not even while in the X-Men. But Loki, being not only a demi-god but one with other abilities, would probably be far more powerful than I could ever imagine: hence why I wasn't willing to just start poking around his mind without his permission. He obviously wasn't aware that I had powers too. He probably assumed I was like the other Avengers: either a member of S.H.E.I.L.D. or that I had some kind of man-made power like Stark. Thor figured that Loki had been keeping tabs on him while he was on Earth, but coming to Asgard had been a very sudden decision so I doubted Loki had been filled in on why we had even come here in the first place. Not to mention Loki had thought I was dating Thor...


	4. Chapter 4

"There you are!" Thor's voice called, startling me out of my thoughts. "I came to check on you and on my way to your room a guard told me he had seen you wandering off this way. I see you have met my brother."

Thor smiled and came up to Loki, pulling him into an embrace. Loki, though looking a bit unpleased by the show of affection, returned the hug.

"Has Loki been kind to you?" Thor asked me, a playful tone to his voice but a not so playful glimmer in eyes.

"For the most part," I said giving Loki a pointed look. Thor laughed and put a firm hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Your tricks may not work too well on this one, brother. You might want to be careful."

"I can see that," Loki responded, giving me, to my surprise, an appreciating gaze.

"I had hoped to see you sooner, brother, to tell you of the news of my return and my guest. But I was caught up in a discussion with father upon my arrival." Thor explained, and I could hear how tired he was in his voice. I guessed things had not gone well with daddy dearest. I felt bad, wondering if maybe I'd had something to do with it not going well.

"I'm sure father was very pleased to have you bring another mortal to Asgard, after all, things went so pleasantly the last time," Loki said his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Thor ignored him. "This situation is quite different."

"I'm sorry," I said, feeling a little helpless. "Your father didn't seem to like me very much."

Thor looked at me directly in the eyes. "Do not be sorry. This was my idea, and I stand by it. My father is not the easiest man to talk with, about anything, really. I knew he would not be happy, but that will change in time. He is only fearful for his people and that these actions might put the Realms, and the peace, in danger."

"Everyone already is in danger." I said fiercely.

"Not beyond Earth. At least, that is what my father believes. That is why I suggested we come here in the first place. To persuade him and to make him see these troubles will not be contained to Earth if it is taken over. I told my father of the plans to bring the others here, with his approval, so that we could discuss the matter further. He is considering it. He was not happy I brought you here without permission." He paused, looking out over the grounds, "I truly believed he would offer Asgard's help to defend Earth without a second thought. I fear that I was wrong. This is the only chance for Earth's survival. We must pray that he has a change of heart."

"Oh." I said quietly, my stomach dropping to what felt like my toes. Loki was now looking at me out of the corner of his eyes, obviously wondering what trouble Earth was in now, and why I was part of it.

"Well now, enough with this talk for the night. You need to rest, as do I." Thor said beginning to lead the way back to the castle. I followed him and Loki did as well. I figured Loki would try to get more information out of him once I was back in my room. We had only walked for a moment before a woman appeared in front of us. She had long dark hair and dark eyes. She was dressed in armor and had a sword on her hip. A grin spread across her face when she saw Thor.

"I just heard news of your return," She said happily.

"Lady Sif!" Thor said looking just as happy to see her. They hugged, and then she stepped back and took me in.

"Hello," She said, assessing me with her eyes. I couldn't help but noticed that she seemed to completely ignore Loki. Sif then looked at Thor, "A new _friend_ of yours?"

I heard Loki chuckle from beside me, and I knew my face was probably bright red. Thor didn't seem to catch on to what she was implying.

"Yes. It is lucky we have run into each other. I have important matters to discuss with you."

"Well, let us have a drink and discuss them now," Lady Sif said.

Thor nodded, and then put a hand on my shoulder. "You will be alright?" He asked, and I nodded, giving him a reassuring smile. "Loki, see that Gabrielle finds her way back to her room?" He said, already beginning to walk off with Sif.

"My pleasure," Loki said, even though Thor was no longer listening, and looking down at me with his icy eyes. He and I continued on in silence for a moment.

"You're quite different from other humans, aren't you?" He commented as we walked down the dark halls of the castle. I suppose that was meant to be taken as compliment, but I couldn't ignore the disgusted tone in his voice when he said "humans".

"I'm not human, technically." I respond, trying not to sound too rude.

"No?" He said smirking. "Then what are you? I wasn't aware of anything else being on Earth other than humans." Now he just sounded condescending.

"You obviously don't know very much then. I'm what humans call a…." I paused, feeling embarrassed by the name all of the sudden, "A mutant."

He stopped and looked at me with his piercing eyes. "Mutant? I thought that was something quite different in your world. What does that mean, exactly?"

"It means I have… abilities."

His eyes grew wide with curiosity, "Really? What sort of abilities?"

"It's hard to explain."

"Then show me." He commanded. And it was obvious it was a command. There was no manner in his voice that said otherwise. I felt self-conscious. Showing my powers to someone like him suddenly felt like I was a little kid doing magic tricks for a real wizard. Loki was a God... But I was being ridiculous. I hadn't cared about showing Thor... Maybe that was because Thor didn't make my heart race like Loki did. And that too made me feel ridiculous.

I shook my head, realizing I had been standing there a very long moment without moving.

"I'm waiting." He said, crossing his arms, obviously losing his patience with me. So, I took a breath and closed my eyes. I focused on what I was feeling, as weird and confusing as it was, and when my eyes opened again I knew they were black. I also knew they were black because he had taken a step back; looking at me with wonder, suddenly far more interested in me than he was a moment ago.

I look directly at him as my black energy flows off of me, misty and sparkling slightly in the dim lights. It climbs down my legs to floor, trailing around me, and then goes towards him. He doesn't move as it gets closer, and when it touches him, I know he feels the extent of my power. He feels the crackling of my veins and the thud of my heart. In return, I feel his power too. At first it felt foreign to me, not like any human or mutant. He was definitely not of my world. There was darkness to his energy though, and I was surprised to find that it felt similar to my own. Both of us had to potential to cause complete chaos. We were strong enough to do almost anything we wanted, and we both knew it.

I suddenly felt like I was being drawn into him. He was using his energy too, and it was much stronger than mine. He pulled and I began to fall: I was falling into him, into his mind. I saw sadness and fear, along with anger and hatred. He was overwhelming, his emotions so much stronger than a humans, but I couldn't pull away. I didn't want to. I went deeper and I began to feel something else… I began to feel myself losing control. I was going too deep and I wasn't focusing on my own powers. I was going to lose my hold on them.

I drew back my energy before I shared too much with him. The break shook me to my core, and without his connection I suddenly felt empty. New thoughts were forming in my head as I realized how alike Loki and I were. My energy had never mixed so easily with anyone else.

"Marvelous!" He said breaking me loose of my thoughts. "You are wasted on Earth. You are a Goddess among peasants! I had no idea creatures like you existed on that wasteland."

"That 'wasteland' is my home," I said defensively. No matter what he made me feel, he still was an arrogant asshole.

"You're much better suited for Asgard." He said simply, brushing off my obvious annoyance at his comment, and moving to stand in front me, only inches away. "You belong on a throne."

I stared at him, unable to find words. He was being completely serious, something I could tell by the fierceness in his voice, and the sparks of energy that were flying off of him, full of passion and excitement.

"Do my words not please you?" He said when I didn't respond, his blue eyes narrowing.

"They do," I finally said, not wanting him mad at me. "Trust me. They do. It's just not how I'm used to being treated."

Loki laughed darkly. "My dear, that's because humans are weak and fearful. They flee from anything that they do not know, from anything that is stronger than they are. This might come as a surprise to you, but there are other worlds that would bow down to you for the powers you possess. Earth is nothing compared to what else lies in the universe."

I couldn't help but agree with him, as crazy as it seemed. I knew what he had done when he came to Earth. He had killed and destroyed, without even the slightest bit of hesitation. But, despite all that, Earth was everything he had just described. Most people lived their lives in fear of things they didn't understand. I had experienced that first hand. I knew the others hated him for he had done. Except Thor, that is. He could not hate his brother. He was the only one who understood why Loki had done those things and he was the only one who truly forgave him. I realized as I stood with Loki, that I too didn't hate him. When I first learned of what had happened, I thought the same as everyone else around me: but that was before knowing him. Now, as the man standing in front of me, I saw that he wasn't evil. He just saw the world through different eyes. I could understand that. I could understand that in his eyes, he was doing what he thought was right. He was also the only person who had ever really appreciated my powers, who had thought they were something magical, remarkable, and worthy of a Queen.

"You're right," I told him with a small smile, and before I could stop myself I looked right at him, the words escaping my lips before I could rethink them. "You're different than I expected. You're not the villain everyone makes you out to be."

Loki didn't seem bothered by my statement. "As I said Gabrielle, most flee from the things they do not understand." I caught a hint of sadness in his voice. I could tell there was something more he was not saying.

"I wasn't aware your people had abilities too. I mean, I know that Thor has his hammer and that gives him most of his power. Yours is different though. When you used your powers, it didn't feel the same as when Thor uses his. I felt that it was connected to you, and not something else." I said, deciding to change the subject from myself to him. I started walking again, knowing that it would make me feel better than what I was doing, which was standing awkwardly in front of him.

"I am what my people call a 'Master of Magic'. My mother taught me the art. Only few can truly learn to use magic. She was one of the best in Asgard. She began to teach me when I was very young. She tried to teach Thor, but he was never the type to practice. Or listen. Or really try to do anything that didn't involve him being able to hit something."

I laughed, being able to see how true that probably was. "I bet she was really proud of you, for being able to learn." I said knowing that this was probably a sad subject for him, since his mother was dead. He nodded, his eyes faraway, probably thinking of her. I hadn't even realized how far we had traveled until we came to my room. I felt a sadness come over me, not wanting to stop talking to him, to stop being near him. I mentally scolded myself for those feelings though, knowing how ridiculous it was to be developing a crush on Loki… a crush on a God. Something was definitely wrong with me.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" I asked, not being able to keep the hope out of my voice. "There is no reason for you to hide after all, since as we established earlier, the others aren't here."

Loki's lips turned up ever so slightly. He looked at me, again, with that mischievous gaze. It was like he knew something I didn't… like he knew something about me. "Goodnight." He said backing away slowly, all but disappearing into the darkness before my eyes.


End file.
